MIKEL Arteta admitted that injuries could derail his side’s chances of a historic quadruple as he lost yet another star during Arsenal’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Wigan.
Riccardo Calafiori’s injury marred an otherwise superb day for the Gunners as Arsenal cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since they won the tournament in 2020.
Calafiori pulled up with an unknown injury in the pre-match warm-up, while Martin Odegaard was also absent from the matchday squad after picking up a knock in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford.
Ben White was also taken off in the second half after receiving treatment on the field, but took to Instagram to confirm he had “no injuries” after the match.
Calafiori and Odegaard join Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino in the treatment room for Arsenal and Arteta is worried that the growing list of absentees could derail the Gunners’ quadruple charge.
Boss Arteta said: “Yes I am worried. Especially because we are going through. Before it was the strikers, then it was the defenders, now it’s the midfielders.
“We are still coping with that, but we need some players back and fit to give us, not only numbers, but different options in relation to the opponents that we have.”
Even with those injuries, Arsenal blitzed League One opponents Wigan with four goals in the opening 30 minutes as Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and an own goal by Jack Hunt put the home side out of sight.
Arteta gave home debuts to 16-year-old Marli Salmon and 19-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Setford off the bench as he turned to youth amid his injury problems, while Christian Norgaard impressed in a rare start for the midfielder.
Arsenal, who face Wolves in the Premier League tomorrow, are still fighting on all four fronts and could become the first English team to ever win the quadruple, but they will have to balance a hectic schedule to do so.- Thesun
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